Wind farm Castle
Project overview
The Castle Wind Farm project, initiated in 2011, is an 89 MW wind energy facility located near De Aar in the Northern Cape province. It represents a major step forward in renewable energy development in South Africa, with a focus on harnessing natural wind resources to provide clean, reliable energy.
JUWI’s team of experts embarked on a comprehensive development process, involving site selection, planning, and environmental assessments. This phase was marked by detailed attention to sustainable practices and the aim to minimize the environmental impact while maximizing energy efficiency.
A vital aspect of project development is respectful collaboration with the landowners. In this instance we had the pleasure of developing this project with Andries van der Merwe who was born on the farm and is now the current owner. As he says “the farm is his life” so JUWI took great care in ensuring minimal disruption to his operations when it came to installing the meteorological tower and securing the required permits.
I’ve been very satisfied working with JUWI. They are very professional and keep me informed regarding what’s happening and what they need to do.
In a strategic move, JUWI sold the Castle Wind Farm project to the AIIM consortium, led by African Infrastructure Investment Managers (AIIM) and Reatile Renewables. This decision was a reflection of JUWI's confidence in the consortium's ability to realize the full potential of the project.
The AIIM consortium successfully achieved financial closure on the project, in collaboration with Sibanye-Stillwater. The partnership aims to supply renewable energy to Sibanye-Stillwater’s mining operations via a wheeling agreement with Eskom. This not only promises energy cost savings and increased energy security for Sibanye-Stillwater but also significantly contributes to the decarbonization of the mining sector.
This project underscores JUWI’s strong track record in the mining sector, following successful PV projects for Sukari and Pan African Resources. At JUWI we are fully committed to supporting the mining sector’s decarbonization efforts.
With the Notice to Proceed issued, the construction phase has begun, estimated to last approximately 22 months. This phase involves the installation of sixteen advanced wind turbines, designed for optimal energy generation and efficiency.